Open House

Read the Cover Story ‘Demonetization Dividends for NaMo’ and would like to add that politically it may be a correct step in the interest of his party BJP, but from national perspective, I am not sure about any of the claims being made by the government or the opposition parties. I am not quite sure if what they meant is demonetize the old notes and introduce new notes instead. In the past demonetization has been thought off as a way of getting black money out of circulation. Because people then have to come and say “how do I have this ten crores in cash sitting in my safe” and they have to explain where they got the money from. It is often cited as a solution. Unfortunately, my sense is the clever find ways around it.

Rahul Sharma, Sirsa

Smriti Irani’s Response to ‘Dynast’ Rahul Gandhi is Surprising

I am not as surprised by Rahul Gandhi’s statement in Berkeley, California, as I am by Smriti Irani’s vitriolic attack on him. While addressing the press, she looked rather stern as she said “He is a failed dynast”. The Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting is one of the most articulate leaders in the Modi Cabinet and she believes in giving it right back to her opponent. But today, she was overly aggressive. One can understand her anger as Rahul had touched a raw nerve of the regime – “The growing intolerance and politics of violence and polarisation”. Other BJP leaders too joined her in saying that Rahul had insulted India by talking about Modi being the “fulcrum” of hate politics.

Vipin Pal, Kolkata

Congress Failed to Assess Himanta’s Might in North East Polity

Amidst the din of several charged debates this week, one important political event missed the spotlight. Early this week, NEDA or the North East Democratic Alliance, a brainchild of the BJP’s Northeast politics in-charge Ram Madhav and led by the party’s President Amit Shah and convener Himanta Biswa Sarma, met for its second conclave in New Delhi. Five sitting chief ministers – the BJP now has governments in five out of eight Northeastern states – party presidents and nominees of 11 different political parties from the region attended. So, in short, would like to add that grand old party failed to assess the political might of Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Devender Barua, Guwahati

Suu Kyi Shamed Nobel Peace Prize on Rohingya

With radical Islam and jehadi terror becoming the most serious challenge facing civilization as we know it, India cannot afford to retain its erstwhile open door policy towards persecuted people. Some years ago, the BJP internally discussed a clear definition of the terms refugee and illegal immigrant. Now, it’s time for our government to act and implement this terminology in Rohingya refugees as they hail from Myanmar. By, not accepting them by the current Myanmar government is not just unjust to the refugees but is shaming of the Nobel Prize for Peace being bestowed on its leader Aung San Suu Kyi.